Refrigerator



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1v G. A. BLUHM.

REFRIGERATOR.

No. 365,901. Patented July 5, 1887.

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7 UNITED STATES PATENT Grrrcn.

CHARLES A. BLUHM, or MICHIGAN oITY, INDIANA.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iatent No. 365,901, dated July 5,1887..

Application filed November 26, 1886. Serial No. 219,891.

walls with an air-space between. The outer or non-conducting wall iscomposed of two, three, or more thicknesses of boards, felt, pa-

per, or other non -conducting material, and

the inner or conducting wall is made of metal, preferably zinc orgalvanized sheetiron. The icechamber or receptacle is arranged at thetop of the refrigerator, and bzlow this ice chamber or'pan is therefrigeratingchamber,

in which the meat or other articles to be preserved are placed onsuitable shelves. A space is left between the inner or sheet-metal wallof the refrigerator and the ends of the ice pan or chamber at both endsof the refrigerator, so as to permit free communication of air from thetop of the ice-pan downward into the refrigeratingchamber. The ends orwalls of the ice-pan are also provided with'openings or passages for theair, and the space between the ends of the ice-pan and the inner orsheetmetal wall of the refrigerator is divided by a vertical partition,preferably of sheet metal, which partition is furnished at its loweredge with an inwardly-projecting deflecting-plate, which deflects thecold air centrally downward through the center or middle part of therefrigerator-chamber. By this means the cold air from the ice chamber orpan is directed downward to the refrigerating-chamber not only along theoutside or walls of the same, but also centrally through its middle. Theair-space between the inner sheet-metal wall of the refrigerator and theouter or nonconducting wall of the same extends at the bottom as well asat the sides of the refrigerator, and the floor or bottom of this innerwall is provided with a central ventilator or opening, through which thewarm or foulair from the refrigerator-chamber may escape or pass outthrough the airspace between the inner and outer walls of therefrigerator, such air-space communicating with or leading to aventilator (No model.)

or opening in the top or cover of the refrigerator. The ventilator atthe floor or bottom of the.refrigeratingchamber is furnished with a pancovering the opening in the inner wall, and the airpassages are throughthe holes in the vertical sides of this pan. This pan serves to catchall articles which may be spilled in the refrigerating-chamber-snchasmilk, for example. A water'pan below the refrigerating-chamber collectsthe water from the icepan through a drip-pipe. The drip-pipe extendsfrom the ice-pan to a separate purifying or filtering pan, also at thebottom of the re frigerator, and containing charcoal or other,

filtering material. This filtering-pan is furnished with an overflowopening, through which the cold water is discharged into the water-pan.A cook or faucet is provided, through which the cold water may be drawnoff from time to time from the water-pan, and thus utilized for drinkingor other purposes.

. My invention consists in the novel devices and novelcombinationsofdevices herein shown and described, and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification,and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line3 30f Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sections on lines 4 4 and5 5 of Fig. 2.

In said drawings, A represents the outer or non-conducting wall,composed of three layers of boards, a, a, and a, and the interposed felta. The layers of boards are matched, and the inner layer, a, extendshorizontally, being-nailed to the vertical posts or frame pieces A,whilethe next layer, a, extends vertically. At the front and ends of therefrigerator the outer layer of boards, a is not complete, being simplypanels.

A are the horizontal frame-pieces. At the floor or bottom the outer wallis composed of but two layers of boards, a and a, and the felt (0*, theends of the bottom boards being nailed directly to the boards a a, ofthe sides and ends.

B is the inner zinc or other sheet-metal wall of the refrigerator. Itextends around the tor-opening,.G, in the bottom of the inner wall, B,to the ventilator-opening 0 through the outerwall at the top or cover D.The inneiuor zinc wall, B, is supported at the proper distance above thebottom of the outer wall, A, upon a platform, E, composed of crossframe-pieces and resting upon ledges or pieces E, nailed or otherwisesecured to the outer wall, A. The central cross-pieces, E E, of thisplatform form a central rectangular recess or opening, and the bottom Bof the inner or sheetmetal wall is furnished with a central opening, b,conforming thereto, and a depending flange, 1), surrounding suchopening, said flange being turned down over the cross-pieces E E. Thebottom B is also furnished with a raised rim or fold, b to preventanyspilled ma terials, water, or dirt from dripping into, the water-pan Fbelow from the refrigeratingchamber G. The opening or recess 1) thusformed in the bottom B of the inner wall is closed by a drip-pan, B",having a horizontal ledge or fiangefl)", which overlaps and rests uponthe crosspieces E E, whereby said pan B issupported. Theventilator-openings GC, which constitute the means of communicationbetween the refrigerating-chamber G and the space 0 between the innerand outer walls, B A, are formed in the vertical sides and ends of thispan B, so that no spilled material or articles can fall from therefrigerating-chamber into the water-pan F below. The waterpan F issupported upon cleats or crosspieces f, resting on the floor or bottomof the outer' wall, A. In'the water-pan F is a second pan, F, formed byapartition, f, which is filled or partially filled with charcoal, F ,orother filtering material, and the water from the ice-pan is conductedinto this filtering-pan F by the drip-pipe F vOverflow-openings fthrough the partition f permit the water to flow into the water-pan whenit reaches a certain height.

The water-pan F is furnished with a faucet or cock, 1, through which thewater may be drawn off from time to time and utilized for drinking andother purposes. By this means the waste ice-water from the melting icemay naturally be utilized; but being collected in a broad pan at thebottom of the refrigerator, it materially aids in maintaining a lowtemperature in the refrigerator itself.

H is the ice pan or chamber in the refrigerator above therefrigerating-chamber G.

K is the ice rack or platform which supports the ice. This platform issupported upon an gle-irons 70, extending under the sameand having bentends is, secured by screws or otherwise to the blocks which are rigidlyattached to the sides of the outer wall, A. A sheet-metal bottom, K,preferably of galvanized iron, having raised ribs or folds to fit overthe bars of the platform, is provided to better support the ice. By thismeans the weight of the ice is prevented from coming upon thewater-tight bottom h of the icepan. The sheet-metal bottom it of theicepan is soldered at its side edges to the side walls, 13, of therefrigerator. At its ends it is secured to the end boards, h h, of theice-pan. The ends h h of the ice-pan are covered with a zinc lining,[L2, and the bottom It is preferably made of zinc. A verticalsheet-metal deflector or plate, L, divides the space a between the endsofthe icepan and the end walls, B B, of the refrigerator. This deflectoris furnished with a flange, L, at its upper edge, by which it is securedto the top of the icepan ends h h, and adepend- 'ing inwardly-projectingflange or bent end at its lower edge to deflect the cold air inwardlyand downwardly through the center of the refrigerating-chamber. The sideedges of the deflector L L are soldered to the side walls, B B, of therefrigerator. The ends h h are furnished with openings h if, for thepassage of cold air from the ice-chamber into the space 0 between theends h h of the ice-pan and the deflectors or partitions L L,and thencedownward through the center of the refrigerating-chamber. The door orcover.D at the top of the refrigerator is made large enough to permitthe inner or zinc shell or wall, B, of the refrigerator to beliftedbodily outthrough the same. A narrow head, 1), preferably of wood, issecured by screws or nails to the horizontal top framepieces, A of therefrigerator just at the top of the sheet-metal wall B, to cover itsupper edge and make a neater finish. The screws or nails whichsccurethis bead may preferably pass through holes in the upper edgeofthe wall B. To remove the wall or shell B, the bead b is first takenoff. The door D. is provided with hinges d, and also with. chains orstops d to hold itup when open. The outer or marginal frame-piecesfl, ofthe door have bevel edges, as shown, to fit the corresponding beveledges of the framepieces A The outer wall of the hinged cover D iscomposed of three thicknesses of boards,

a, a, and a. The inner wall of the cover is made of wood. The air-space0 extends between the inner and outer walls of the cover D, the same asbetween the inner and outer walls of the refrigerator, and theframepieces d of the cover are provided with air passages or openings0,which register, when the cover is closed, with the similar openings 0in the frame-pieces A of the refrigerator. The ventilator-opening 0through the outer wall of the cover D is furnished with a ventilator ofthe usual construction, and consisting of a rigid plate, 0, and a rotaryplate or disk, 0, each of said plates having openings which register ordo not register with each other, according as the rotary disk 0" isturned to open or close the ventilator. At the front of the refrigeratora similar ventilator, O is provided, leading into the space 0 between.the inner and outer bottom walls of the refrigerator. This latterventilator is usually kept closed, but may be opened occasionally to dryout the space 0, as the same may become slightly damp in cold weather.

The outer wall is composed of three thick-' nesses of boards, a a a andits inner wall is made of wood lined upon the inside with zinc, a. Theair-space 0 extends between the inner and outer walls of the door, andits upper and lower frame-pieces a are furnished with air passages oropenings c,which register with the similar openings 0 in the frame A ofthe door.

I claim- 1. The refrigerator having an outer no11- conducting wall andan inner metallic or conducting wall,with a continous or connectedairspace between the same at sides, top, and bottom, said inner wallhaving a central ventilator-opening through the floor or bottom thereofand said outer wall having a ventilator-opening through its top orcover, said ventilatoropenings communicating together through theair-space between said walls, a refrigerating-chamber, and an ice pan orchamber above said refrigeratingchamber, said ice pan or chamber havingair spaces or'pas sages between its ends and said inner metallic wall ofthe refrigerator for passage of the cold air downward through saidrefrigeratingchamber toward said central ventilator-opening in thebottom of said inner wall, substantially as specified.

2. The refrigerator having an outer nonconducting wall and an innermetallic or conducting wall, with a continuous or connected air-spacebetween the same at sides, top, and bottom, said inner wall having acentral venpan or chamber having air spaces or passages 'between itsends and said inner metallic wall of the refrigerator for passage of thecold air downward through said rcfrigerating-chamber toward said centralventilator-opening in the bottom ofsaid inner wall, anddeflecting-plates dividing said air spaces or passages between the endsof said ice-pan and said inner wall, whereby a portion of the cold airis deflected centrally downward through the refrigeratingchamber,substantially as specified.

3. The refrigerator having an outer nonconducting wall and an innermetallic or conducting wall,with a continuous or connected air-spacebetween the same at sides, top, and bottom, said inner wall having acentral ventilatoropening through the floor or bottom thereof, and saidouter wall having a ventilator-opening through its top or cover, saidventilator-openings communicating togetherthrough the air-space betweensaid walls, a refrigerating-chamber, and an ice pan or chamber abovesaid refrigerating-chamber, said ice pan or chamber having air spaces orpassages between its ends and said inner metallic wall of therefrigerator for passage of the cold air downward through saidrefrigerating-chamber toward said central ventilator-opening in thebottom of said inner wall, and deflectingplates dividing said air spacesor passages between the ends of said icepan and said inner wall, wherebya portion of the cold air is deflected centrally downward through therefrigerating-chamber, a water-pan below said re frigerating-chamber,and a drip-pipe connecting said ice-pan and Waterpan, substantially asspecified.

CHARLES A. BLUHM.

\Vitnesses:

S. G. TALIFARO, OTTO KLOEPFER.

